Method of making parti-colored bituminous roofing shingles



Apr. 24, 1923. 1,452,978

J. 5. MILLER. JR

METHOD OF MAKING PARTI-COLORED BITUMINOUS ROOFING SHINGLES Filed Feb. 1, 1921 INVEN TOR: fohn sfrofheriflz'llez; J2",

%7 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- JOHN STROTHER MILLER, JR., RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY. ASSIGNOR TO THE BARBER ASPHALT COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

METHOD OF MAKING PARTI-COLORED BITUMINOUS ROOFING SHINGLES.

Application filed February 11, 1921. Serial No. 444,117.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I. JOHN STROTHER MIL- LER, J r., a citizen of the United States residing at Rahway. in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Method of Making Parti-Colored Bituminous Roofing Shingles, whereof the following is a speci fication, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to bituminous shingles having their upper surface covered with fine mineral matter, which, in addition to coloring the shingles, also serves in a protec'tive capacity. Although only a portion of this surface is exposed when the shingles are overlapped in laying a roof. yet their manufacture is expedited by coating the entire surface.

The tastes of purchasers of shingles vary considerably as to color. and on this account,

a dealer or jobber is obliged to carry a large variety of different colors in stock. \Vith a view to reducing the number of differently colored shingles necessary to such a stock, my invention is directed to the production of parti-colored shingles, i. e., to shingles Which have a portion of their upper surface covered with mineral matter of one shade or color and another portion with a similar substance of another shade or contrasting color, or simply left blank to expose the natural color of the ground fabric or web of the roofing material. Under these circumstances, choice may be had as-to either of the shades or colors by exposing the corresponding ends of the shingles in laying them on the roof, and if any ornamentation is desired, this may be had by so laying the shingles as to employ the contrasting shades or colors in alternation according to any predetermined pattern scheme.

According to approved practice in overlapping shingles, only about one-third of their length is exposed to view, so that the color of the remainder or the overlapped portion of the shingle is immaterial since it is hidden after the roof is laid.

In manufacturing shingles in accordance with my invention, the requisite colored mineral matter, is applied to the upper, adhesive coated surface of a continuous web of bituminous roofing material in such fashion as t p o e st pe of c ntrasti g co o s,

subsequently to which the web is cut both I longitudinally and transversely. to produce shingles of standard sizes which are ordinarily twelve and three-fourth inches long and eight inches wide. By employing a web thirty-eight and one-fourth inches wide, trisecting the same in a longitudinal direction and severing the ribbons thus formed at eight inch intervals. it will be seen that the shingles of the standard size may be readily and expeditiously produced.

Other advantages of my invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows:

In the drawings. Fig. I is an illustration in perspective showing more or less dist-- grammatically, the method of producing parti-colored roofing shingles in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. II is a perspective view showing one of the shingles upon a somewhat larger scale.

In carrying out'my invention. a continuous web 1 of roofing material. coated upon its upper side with a suitable bituminous cement or adhesive, is passed beneath the outlet 2 of a transversely disposed hopper 3. Said hopper is subdivided by partitions 4, 4, into a number of separate compartments 5. 5. which communicate at their lower ends with as many subdivisions in the outlet 2. 95

The end subdivisions of the hopper. together with the corresponding outlets, "are made preferably half as wide as the intermediate sections for a purpose which will presently becomeapparent. The hopper compartments 5, 5, are alternately charged with mineral granules of different kinds or different colors, such for example as finely ground gray and red slate. As the web 1 of the roofing is progressed beneath the hopper 3, the granules are deposited upon the adhesive coating with the result that a series of longitudinally running stripes of different colors are produced, such as suggested in the drawings by aid of the line shading. The color stripes will correspond in width to the subdivisions of the hopper outlet as previously described. The mineral granules thus deposited upon the roofing, are firmly pressed into the adhesive coating by a pair of cooperative compression rolls 6, 6, between which the web is passed, said rolls, in addition to the function, just alluded,

to, being instrumental in assisting the feeding of the web in a manner well understood.

Immediately after emerging from between the compression rolls 6, 6, the web is cut longitudinally along the median line of the intermediate color stripes, into a series of ribbons as shown at R, R, preferably by means of revolving cutter disks 7, 7. The

subdivided web is then passed between aux proved mechanism appropriate for the purpose. In the present instance, three shingles are produced at each operation of the shear blades 9, 9, from a web of standard width whose dimensions have hereinbefore been given. -By preordering the width of the color stripes, as above described, and cutting the web longitudinally along the centre of the broader or intermediate color stripes, it will be seen that the fields or zones of contrasting colors at the opposite ends of the resulting shingles, S may be rendered equal in area. I purposely choose the method of cutting along the centre of the stripes of solid color as just described, so as to avoid imperfections in the shingles which might result from intermixture of the different colored mineral granules, if the webwere cut along the line of division between the stripes.

In actual practice, appropriate means are provided for collecting or recoveringseparately, any excess of the differently colored mineral material not embedded in the surface of the web under the action of the pressure rolls 6, 6.

In case it should be found advantageous to manufacture shingles coated with differ-. ent colored mineral granules, only, say for about three inches from each end, such shingles may be readily produced by narrowing the outlets of the hopper sections 5, 5, as a consequence of which blank stripes intervene between the contrasting color stripes, and thence cutting the web into individual shingles as before.

As another alternative in the process of manufacturing shingles in accordance with my invention, instead of producing stripes of differently colored mineral granules, as initially set forth herein, every other longitudinal stripe may be left entirely blank so as to expose the natural color of the bituminous Web in contrast with the mineral surfacing of the adjacent stripes. Under the scheme of subdivision as previously noted, the resulting shingles will obviously be coated with the mineral surfacing only at one end. This type of shingle may be readily produced either by simply interrupting the discharge from alternate sections 5, 5 of the hopper 3, or by omitting such sections entirely.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 5 1. The method of producing shingles which consists in applying to one surface of a web of bituminous roofing material coloring matter to form a stripe, severing the web along the stripe in the direction thereof to form ribbons leaving a portion of the stripe on each ribbon, and cutting the ribbons transversely to form shingles.

2. The method of producing parti-colored shingles which consists in applying to one surface of aweb of bituminous roofing material coloring matter to form alternating stripes of different colors, severing the web in the direction of the stripes to form ribbons, and cutting the ribbons transversely to form shingles.

3: T he method of producing parti-colored shingles which consists in applying to one surface of aweb of bituminous roofing material, coloring material of different shades or hues to produce thereon a series of differently colored longitudinally extending stripes, the lateral stripes of the web being approximately onehalf the width of intermediate st-ripes cutting the web longitudinally into ribbons along the median line of intermediate stripes; and transversely severing the ribbons to produce individual shingles differently colored at opposite ends.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Maurcr, N. J., this 9th day of February 1921.

JOHN STROTHER- MILLER, JR.

\Vitnesses:

MICHAEL PAUL ENNIs, WILLIAM FRANCIS KERWIN. 

